300 of the best for loyal Dodd
For Adam Dodd reaching 300 senior games this weekend in the final round of the season at his favourite club will be a special moment as he looks to hang up the boots.
The Tungamah Football Netball Club will formally recognise Dodd as one of their favourite sons with a special presentation from 6pm.
Club President Troy Costigan was all praise for Dodd who he described as one of the most loyal players to have donned the Tungamah jumper.
“He could have played anywhere at a higher level,” Costigan said.
“Since his first senior game in 1996 he has become Tungamah’s most decorated player.
“Despite stints at the Yarrawonga Pigeons and Wahgunyah he remained at Tungamah.
“He is one of the nicest blokes around the club you will ever meet. He is now heavily involved with the juniors and Auskick.
“I was lucky to have the privilege of coaching Adam to a thirds premiership in 1998,” Costigan said.
Now with eight club senior best and fairest, five senior premierships including one that he coached, a Vic Country District Representative side call up in which he was vice-captain along with three fourths best and fairest it’s only fitting the club will celebrate his milestone in final game of the season at home.
For Dodd, who turned 37 this year, it will be a chance to look back on a very successful career since he arrived as a 12 year old from the Mornington Peninsula where he played at Tanti Park as a junior and to thank those around him at the club.
“If the club wasn’t there I probably would have ran away,” Dodd joked.
“I grew up out there. It has always been a great club. I have a lot of great friends. The club has always had a great group players, committed coaches, committees and supporters.
“There are a lot of great blokes out there. Like trainer Kevin Hayes who’s always helping and also having a beer before and after training,” he said.
“During my time it’s been a great era at the club. There always seems to be a good core group of people which make it enjoyable.
“Players like Robbie Wren, Steak Seymour stand out in the early days and more recently blokes like Tim Cooper, Nick Doyle, Daniel Ellis and Cheesy Powell come to mind.
“Success seems to bring people to the club so we are lucky that way.”
Out of all the great memories and accolades that go with his career Dodd listed the 1998 Tungamah thirds premiership on top as one of his most cherished moments.
“It was the first thirds premiership the club had won. The seniors were not travelling that great so I went back to the thirds in the last four weeks to qualify for the finals and play with my mates and we won it. It was great.
“Then the year after (1999) with Robbie Wren returning as senior’s coach we came from no- where to make the grand final against Blighty which resulted in a draw and we then had to play again the week after. Damian Sexton was coach of Blighty at the time and there was great rivalry between the clubs.
“I was only 18 and the team had a good mix of local blokes, both young and old.”
Dodd will be the sixth player to have reached the 300 game mile-stone at Tungamah. The great JL Cooper still holds the record with 323 games followed by Barry Costigan 314, Mick Saunders 311, Josh Buerckner 307 and Bowler Saunders on 301.
If it wasn’t for a couple of stints away from the club Dodd would have surpassed Cooper as games record holder. During that time he accumulated 54 games at Yarrawonga from 20002002 where he became vice-captain and also represented the Ovens and Murray.
In 2003 Dodd returned back to Tungamah as assistant coach. He also captained and eventually coached the club from 2009 to 2011. During his time as coach the club made it to one preliminary final and two grand finals, successfully winning one.
Dodd then went onto coach Wahgunyah for two years before again returning to Tungamah.
He said there are many people to thank at the club over the years but found it hard to name them all.
“But I would like to thank my Dad (Ken), my fiancée Lara and all my family, they have been really supportive.” Although still enjoying his football he admits the body isn’t holding up as well these days and is looking forward to working on his golf and watching his kids Millie and Byron play for the club.
But he concedes it will be hard to watch the action form the sidelines.
“I might sneak in the odd game in the reserves for bit of fun,” he said.